Check out these deals from our partners

Enter to win a new camera, studio lighting kit and more!

It’s our birthday, and we want to celebrate with you! Check out our 21st birthday contest and win a free photo toolbox just by entering. We’ll have prizes every month, plus a grand prize which includes a new camera! This month, we’re giving away a studio lighting kit from B&H. Learn more and enter to win >

Lens Distortion in Portraits

As a portrait photographer, I love getting a close, tight shot that really captures the personality of my subject. Understanding the limitations and effects your gear has on the final image is vital. Close up portraits are typically shot using a focal length of 85mm or longer, but when starting out, these lenses may not be an option. It is common for photographers to start out using a 50mm lens and grow their arsenal from there.

I love my “Nifty 50.” When shooting in a small space, the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G is my go-to lens most of the time. I love how fast the glass is, how crisp my images are, chromatic aberration is minimal, and the color tones are good. However, there is one issue that can cause problems: lens distortion.

Lens distortion happens when using a wide angle lens. The edges tend to appear pinched, the center of the image has a bubble-like look to it, and leading lines are bent. Naturally, whatever is closest to the lens will appear larger. If the subject of the image is a person, this can become a problem.

Depending on the distance between the camera and subject, the distortion can be more or less obvious. In the image below, the subject is five feet away from the camera and the distortion is not noticeable.

After moving the camera one foot closer, you can see in the image below that the distortion is very noticeable. His forehead looks wider, his nose is more pronounced, and his eyes appear further apart. The distortion creates an image that is unappealing and does not look exactly like my subject.

The lens causes his face to be distorted and his nose to appear larger than it is.

The best solution to this problem is to use a lens with a longer focal length. If this is not an option, there is another option. While I’m a supporter of getting it right in camera, sometimes you’ve got to get creative! I like the top image best, but would love if it was framed tighter. Using the crop tool allows me to frame the image the way I want without the distortion.

Knowing the limits of your gear is important, but there’s always a way to work around those limitations.

By shopping with our partners and affiliates, you help keep content on Photofocus free. Thank you for your support!

Share this post with your friends:

Nicci Widener is a portrait photographer, wife, and mother of 3 located in Burlington, Washington. She first picked up a camera when her oldest child was born in 1998 and made the decision to make it a career in 2006. When she is not holding a camera, she is spending time with her family, knitting, or consuming copious amounts of caffeine.

Thanks to our partners who make Photofocus possible:

B&H – B&H is a world renowned supplier of all the gear photographers, videographers, and cinematographers need and want to create their very best work.

Skylum – Your photos, more beautiful in minutes. Makers of Luminar, Aurora and Photolemur, Skylum adapts to your style and skill level. Check out Luminar 4’s unique sky replacement and portrait editing tools, now available. Save 42% off the retail price and get the Photofocus bundle for free!

Datacolor– Get perfect color every time, whether it be for your computer monitor, camera or more! Check out the Datacolor SpyderX and start calibrating your colors today.

Excire Search – Experience the best photo organizer for Lightroom Classic, letting you easily discover photos by color, subject — even people. Try the new Excire Search 2.0 Pro for 20% off when you use the coupon code PFPro.

Xpozer – Show off your photos and fill your walls with the Xpozer frame system. Xpozer makes it easy to switch out your photos in a matter of minutes! Check out the Xpozer Start-Pack, including a 16×24″ print and frame, plus $210 worth of bonuses, exclusive to Photofocus readers!

Illuminati – Get perfect exposure every time, with the new Illuminati IM-150 light and color meter.

Drobo – Drobo is the smartest storage solution in the world. Drobo is storage that protects data — photos, videos and everything else — from hard drive failure. Drobo is peace of mind for the working pro or serious amateur who have a lot of external drives cluttering up the desktop. Save 10% with the coupon code PHOTOFOCUS.

Regardless of the type of photography you focus on, Photofocus is here as a helpful and educational resource for the aspiring and professional photographer. Our goal is to assist in your success as an artist.